Sunday 28/03/2010 - Landsend Individual League - Round Eight - Final Round

Before today final league match I had prepared well in terms of strategy. In the overall league the last position in the prize money was 7th I was laying 11th overall on 28 points with six anglers above me with two points more than me. However, in the Silvers I was laying third (counting out Vince Shipp who was certain to win either 1st or 2nd overall) 14lb 10oz behind the Gimp and only 1lb 14oz behind Nick Duckett. With £200 up for grabs for 2nd Silvers and thinking this was my best chance of picking up overall I set my mind on out and out Silvers attack wherever I drew. It was my turn on Match Lake which has plenty of good Silvers pegs.

I didn’t mind where I drew as long as it wasn’t pegs 1 or 24. I drew peg 1. I wasn’t too despondent until I heard Nick Duckett had drawn the Silvers flyer – peg 70 on Johns Walter Lake. Then the Gimp arrived having drawn peg 37 on Specimen – another good Silvers peg. On arriving at my peg there were lots of Carp swimming around up in the water. However, I still kept to my game plan. Lucky enough Chris Davis arrived on opposite peg 24 who would be without doubt be fishing for Carp shallow and hopefully keep them out of my peg. Alan Oram came round and gave some advice on catching Silver short to the left, which did come in handy. I set up four rigs; 1 – 4x14 Jolly at 11.5 metres in to open water to be used with 3mm expander pellet, over micro with a dash of caster; 1 – 4x12 Jolly set to 3 foot at 9 metres along the end margin; 1 – Ronnie rig to be fished short as per Alan O’s suggestion over caster; 1 – 3.5 metre whip, again for caster out in front. I fed the 9 metre line with a full pot of caster and find the 11.5 metre line with a full pot of micro with half being caster. I started loose feeding on the Ronnie line and after 10 minutes had one 1oz Ronnie. Went out in the margin at 9 metres and after 10 minutes had nothing. So out on the 11.5 metre line with 3mm expander and I had a 2lb Skimmer. I followed this up with two 3lb Carp. It then went quite. So re-fed and tried the Ronnie rig and had a run of 3 oz Ronnie’s. However, this line died very quickly. So up the margin and I had a run of Ronnie’s and Perch to 8oz. There was a definite pattern forming – catch a few fish over one line and it would die. So out at 11.5 metre and a run of three Skimmers to 1.5lb, however, I couldn’t keep them coming. The up shot was I alternated all match around the four lines picking off the odd couple of fish. I did have a couple of Ide on the Alan O line, the biggest being about 3lb (a PB). My Silvers weighed in at 27lb 9oz putting me third in the Silvers this combined with my two Carp gave me a total of 34lb 1oz and 3 section points.

Whilst writing this blog I am feeling a bit sorry for myself as I fell short on the Silvers to Nick Duckett and with the Gimp having 18lb of peg 37 I couldn’t overhaul him either so I finished one out of the overall Silvers (£300 & £200). Just as frustrating my 3 points took me to ninth overall and again one of the overall money. One more carp would have put me in the overall frame. Really the frustration comes from not having been born with hind sight which is a “wonderful thing”. I have no need to feel sorry for myself really as I did miss a match through illness (even though it’s an eight match series there is no provisions for dropping a match result) and I did fish really well today.

The match was won by Ron Wotton from peg 13 with 137lb 3oz. Rod caught on pellet down the end margin at 8 metres.

The Silvers was won by Nick Duckett (well done matey) from aquarium peg 70.

The over league winner was Nick Collier with an incredible 46 points and he picked up £550.(pictured right with Vince – league runner up and Nick Duckett Overall Silvers winner). I must say Nick he has impressed me with his all round angling ability. Nick finished 4 points clear of Vince Shipp. A number of anglers have said that Nick has had a lot of good draws. I would say he has had a couple of good ones, but has had some potentially bad ones too. Nick hasn’t won this league through good draws alone, take today he has come 2nd overall from unfancied peg 50. Well done Nick.

Overall Result:

1. Rod Wotton 137-03-0 Peg 13
2. Nick Collier 108-12-0 peg 50
3. Mark Leader 104-02-0 peg 42
4. Nick Duckett 103-05-0 peg 70
5. Chris Davis 102-12-0 peg 24
6. James Withers 77-0-0 peg 29

Top Silvers:

1. Nick Duckett 34-0-0 peg 70
2. Ryan Shipp 28-05-0 peg 5
3. Mike Nicholls 27-09-0 peg 1

Overall League:

1. Nick Collier 46 Points
2. Vince Shipp 42
3. Rod Wotton 39
4. Gary Wall 36
5. Matt Tomes 34
6. Dave Hodgeson 34

7. Nick Duckett 33
8. Ken Rayner 32
9. Mike Nicholls 31

League Silvers:

1. Nick Duckett 97-03-0
2. John Bradford 94-01-0
3. Mike Nicholls 88-12-0